Reciprocal porous printing member with ink reservoir feed



April 1968 R, E. STERLING 3,376,812

RECIPROCAL POROUS PRINTING MEMBER WITH INK RESERVOIR FEED Filed Oct. 23, 1965 INVENTOR ROBERT E. STERLING HIS ATTO YS United States Patent 3,376,812 RECIPROCAL POROUS PRINTING MEMBER WITH INK RESERVOIR FEED Robert E. Sterling, Kettering, Ohio, assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,485 6 Claims. (Cl. 101-324) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A re-inking device including an ink reservoir having a porous printing member carried thereby on a side thereof which faces a printing platen. The reservoir is reciprocated between printing and non-printing positions by a solenoid. When the device is in the non-printing position, a U-shaped member seals off a plurality of ports connecting the reservoir with the porous printing member. When the device is moved to the printing position, the reservoir moves away from the U-shaped member, permitting ink to pass through said ports to the porous printing member. Upon returning to the non-printing position, the U-shaped member assists in forcing the ink through the ports to said printing member prior to effectively sealing off said ports when the reservoir finally reaches the non-printing position.

This invention relates, to printing apparatus, and more particularly it relates to an apparatus for replenishing a supply of ink to a capillary, porous-type printing mem- -ber which is brought into contact with the material to port memberrAs the printing member is used in the machine, the supply of ink contained in the printing member itself is exhausted, and consequently the member must be removed from the machine 'to be refilled at frequent intervals.

In an effort toreduce the down time of the machine due to'replacing or resaturating the depleted porous printing member with ink, an ink reservoir was operatively connected with the printing member, so as to replenish itjwith'inkas the printing member was used in its normal stamping operation. It was discovered, however, that,

when the machine was idle for an extended period of time, like a week-end, the ink had a tendency to pass out of the reservoir between the junction of the printing member and the reservoir.

It was also difficult to control the rate of feed of the ink to the porous printing member. If the passages interconnecting the ink reservoir with the printing member were made large, too much ink saturated the printing member, resulting in a messy stamping. If these passages were made small enough for a satisfactory, anticipated rate of feed of ink to the printing member, the small passages themselves prevented proper flow rate of ink to the printing member.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for replenishing a supply of ink to a capillary, porous-type printing member at a rate determined by the use thereof and to close off the supply thereto when the apparatus is moved from a printing position to a non-printing position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the above type which provides for an equal distribution of ink to the porous printing member.

The re-inking device of this invention may be used in a printing apparatus having a frame member and a platen. The device generally comprises an ink reservoir having an ink-'replenishable, porous printing member carried thereby on the side thereof which faces the platen. When a sheet of material to be printed upon is placed on the platen, the platen and the printing member are brought together in a printing position upon energization of driving means operatively connected with the ink reservoir.

The reservoir mentioned above has a plurality of passages interconnecting it with the porous printing member. As the reservoir and the printing member are being returned to a non-printing position relative to the platen, means inside the reservoir are provided to first force a supply of ink through said passages to the printing member, and then seal off the passages to prevent further passage of ink to the printing member as long as the reservoir is held in the non-printing position.

This invention and its advantages will be explained more fully in the following description, taken in connection with the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the invention partly in section and showin the device in the nonprinting position relative to the platen, upon which an article to be printed upon is positioned;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 showing the passages interconnecting the reservoir with the porous printing member and means for securing the reservoir to the driving solenoid; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the underside of the reservoir shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the porous printing member secured thereto.

The re-inking device of this invention comprises an ink reservoir, generally designated 10, which is positioned between the frame 12 and the platen 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The reservoir 10 is composed of a liquid-tight container 16, a closure 18, and a suitable gasket 20 positioned therebetween and secured together by screws 22. The portion 24 of the container 16 which faces the platen 14 is provided with a capillary porous printing member 26, which has the printing or stamping information formed thereon.

The re-inking device is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a non-printing position relative to the platen 14. When the solenoid-operated driving means, generally designated 28, is energized by known techniques, its operating plunger 30, which is adjustably and threadedly secured to the closure 18, drives the reservoir 10 and the printing member 26 downwardly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.

This downward driving action of the plunger 30 brings the printing member 26 into contact with the material 32 (such as a check) to be printed upon and thereby transfers its impression thereto. Suitable springs 34, secured to the container 16, are used to position the material 32 on the platen 14 prior to stamping by the printing member 26 to eliminate smudging of the material 32 due to movement thereof while being stamp-ed or printed upon.

During the downward movement of the plunger 30, mentioned above, the ink reservoir 10 is also moved downwardly, while the U-shaped member generally designated 36 remains fixed relative to the frame 12 and assists in transferring and later closing off the supply of ink to the printing member 26.

To mount the member 36, the closure 18 is apertured to receive bushings 38, in which the legs 40 of the U- shaped member 36 are sealingly and slidably mounted.

Each of the legs 40 is joined to a section 42 at one end, and the remaining free ends are secured to the frame 12 by screws 44. By this construction, the U-shaped member 36 remains fixed relative to the frame 12, while the reservoir and the printing member 26 reciprocate relative thereto when actuated.

The reciprocating motion of the reservoir 10 between the non-printing position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to a printing position (not shown), in which the reservoir is moved to permit the printing member 26 to engage the sheet of material 32 On the platen 14, is also utilized for transferring and then scaling off the supply of ink 46 in the reservoir to the printing member 26. The portion 24 facing the platen 14 is provided with a recess 48, which is shaped to receive the printing member 26. The recess area 48 has therein a plurality of spaced apertures, into each of which a bushing 50 is sealingly positioned, and each bushing 50 is provided with a passage 52, which connests the interior of the reservoir 10 with the porous printing member 26 as follows. The diameter of the passage 52 is determined by the extent of ink flow necessary to maintain the proper amount of ink in the printing member 26.

Into the recess 48, mentioned above, a fine gauze screen 54 is positioned so that it lies next to the passages 52. The printing member 26 is then positioned in the recess 48 after the screen 54. The purpose of the screen 54 is to distribute the ink .46 evenly over the printing member 26, with which it is in intimate contact.

A capillary porous member 56 is positioned in the reservoir It) to cover the passages 52. The member 56 may have the same general shape as the printing member 26 with which it is used, and the member 56 is adhesively secured along its perimeter to the inside of the reservoir 10.

When the reservoir 10 is in the non-printing position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, fiat areas 58 on the section 42 of the U-shaped member 36 press on the porous member 56 and block the transfer of ink to the passages 52. This action effectively closes olf the transfer of ink when the device is inactive.

When the solenoid 28 is energized, the reservoir 10 is pushed towards the platen 14, and the U-shaped member 36 remains fixed to the frame 12, as previously explained. This motion has a tendency to cause the porous member 56 to be pulled away from the area 24 of the reservoir 10, to which it is adhesively secured. To minimize this tendency, the section 42 of the U-shaped member 36 is provided with milled-out areas to produce cavities 60, which reduce the area of contact between the member 56 and the section 42.

After the solenoid 28 is energized and the reservoir 10 is pushed towards the platen 14 in the direction A shown in FIG. 2, the porous member 56 soaks up ink in the areas immediately adjacent the passages 52. After the printing operation is complete and the solenoid 28 is deenergized, a spring 62 on the solenoid 28 restores the plunger 30 and the reservoir 10 to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In returning to this position, the porous member 56 comes into contact with the fiat areas 58 on the U-shaped member 36, and the ink in the member 56 is pushed through the passages 52 to the screen 54 and the printing member 26. The completion of the motion of the reservoir 10 to its non-printing position compresses the porous member 56 and effectively shuts oflf the further supply of ink to the passages 52. The porous printing member 26 is secured in the recess 48 by adhesive 64, which joins the entire perimeter of the porous printing member 26 with the portion 24.

The extent of motion of the reservoir 10 can be controlled by adjustment of the plunger 30, which is threadedly received in an operating plunger 66 of the solenoid 28, which is secured to the frame 12.

While the embodiment of this disclosure depicts a porous printing member 26 which is generally flat, it is obvious that curved printing members could be employed. In the embodiment disclosed, the bushings 50 were made of plastic, and the passages 52 were approximately .OSO-inch in diameter. The ink used was slightly thicker than the ink normally used on microporous printing members. The printing member 26 was made from known microporous rubber used for stamps, and the capillary porous member 56 was made from known foamed rubber materials. The reservoir 10 may be conveniently filled from a filling port sealingly closed by a fastener 68 and suitably vented to the atmosphere by vents 70 in the closure 18.

Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to a particular application, the principles disclosed herein could be extended to other applications, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention is therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing apparatus having a frame member and a platen, the improvement comprising:

drive means secured to said frame member,

ink reservoir means adjustably secured to said drive means to be reciprocated thereby between printing and non-printing positions relative to said platen,

said reservoir means having a capillary porous printing member secured to a side thereof which faces said platen,

said reservoir means also having passages in said side interconnecting the interior thereof with said printing member to permit the transfer of ink thereto,

a capillary porous member covering said passages in the interior of said reservoir means,

and a member slidably mounted in said reservoir means and fixed to said frame member and adapted to press against said capillary porous member in said reservoir means when said reservoir means is in said non-printing position and to be disengaged therefrom when said reservoir means is in said printing position.

2. In a printing apparatus having a frame member and a platen, the improvement comprising:

drive means secured to said frame member,

ink reservoir means adjustably secured to said drive means to be reciprocated thereby between printing and non-printing positions relative to said platen,

said ink reservoir means having a rinting portion facing said platen,

said printing portion having a recess thereon and also having spaced passages interconnecting the interior of said reservoir means with said recess,

an ink-diffusing member positioned in said recess overlying said passages and a capillary porous printing member positioned in said recess and overlying said diffusing member,

a capillary porous member secured to said printing portion in the inside of said reservoir means and overlying said passages, and

a member slidably mounted in said reservoir means and fixed to said frame member and adapted to press against said capillary porous member in said reservoir means when said reservoir means is in said non-printing position and to be disengaged therefrom when said reservoir means is in said printing position.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said ink-diffusing member is a fine-mesh screen.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said member slidably mounted in said reservoir means is generally U-shaped, having a central portion and legs, with said legs slidably mounted in said reservoir means and with the extremities thereof secured to said frame member,

said central portion being adapted to press against said capillary porous member in said reservoir means when the latter is in said non-printing position and to be disengaged therefrom when said reservoir means is in said printing position.

5. In a printing apparatus having a frame member and a platen spaced therefrom, the improvement comprising:

solenoid drive means secured to said frame member and having an operating plunger passing therethrough,

ink reservoir means adjustably secured to said operating plunger and adapted to be reciprocated between printing and non-printing positions relative to said platen,

said reservoir means having a generally fiat portion facing said platen,

said fiat portion having a recess on the side thereof facing said platen and also having spaced passages interconnecting the interior of said reservoir means with said recess,

an ink-diifusing member positioned in said recess overlying said passages and a capillary porous printing member positioned in said recess and overlying said diffusing member,

a capillary porous member secured to said fiat portion in the inside of said reservoir means and overlying said passages,

and a generally U-shaped member having a central portion interconnecting the legs thereof, said legs being sealingly and slidably mounted in said reservoir means, With the extremities thereof secured to said frame member,

said operating plunger being secured to said reservoir means at a point between said legs,

said central portion being adapted to press against said capillary pOrOuS member in said reservoir means when the latter is in said non-printing position and to be disengaged therefrom when said reservoir means is in said printing position,

said central portion having spaced cavities on the side thereof adjacent to said capillary porous member to form a plurality of flat surfaces in substantial axial alignment with said passages.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said capillary porous printing member positioned in said recess is made from microporous rubber and is adhesively 15 secured to said recess along the perimeter thereof,

and in which said passages are substantially identical in size and are located in inserts passing through said fiat portion of said reservoir means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,073,340 9/1913 Furman 101327 1,343,633 6/1920 McPheters 101-327 1,861,914 6/1932 Gridley 101-327 XR 2,414,895 1/1947 Reynolds et al. 101-103 2,852,879 9/1958 Innerfield 101-327 XR 2,857,839 10/1958 Jamieson 101-327 XR ROBERT E, PULFREY, Primary Examiner. J. R. FISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

